People in the News

Community

Ozarks Food Harvest announced two staff additions and a promotion.

Gerry Hilton joined OFH as agency relations director. She supervises the ongoing support and maintenance of participating nonprofit charities and is responsible for the recruitment, evaluation, enrollment and orientation of new charities. Hilton also conducts and supervises site inspections of charities to ensure compliance with all required guidelines. She also oversees charity participation in various programs such as Kids Caf and nutrition education. Prior to joining Ozarks Food Harvest, Hilton was the registrar at Wonders of Wildlife.

Vickie Hicks joined OFH as director of development. She supervises the marketing, fund-raising and public relations needs of the food bank. She previously was the community relations coordinator for Wonders of Wildlife, and she also worked for 12 years at Southwest Missouri State University in the Career Services and Admissions departments.

Stephanie Wickerham was promoted to operations manager at OFH, making available the agency relations director position filled by Hilton.

The Springfield Family YMCA announced two staff additions.

Jane Frye joined the Springfield Family YMCA as the director of aquatics. She has extensive experience with YMCA, most recently with the Carthage YMCA.

Jen Fitzgerald joined the organization as director of programs and membership at the Tri-Lakes Family YMCA in Branson. Fitzgerald also has several years of experience with YMCA, most recently in the Kansas City YMCA system.

Insurance

Candace Anderson joined the Ozark office of Great Southern Insurance as an insurance agent. She provides sales and services for auto, home, life and business insurance needs. Anderson has six years of experience in the insurance industry. She joined Great Southern Insurance in 1998 and served as a personal lines customer service representative prior to her new position.

Law

Douglas A. Parker joined Neale & Newman LLP as an associate of the firm. Prior to joining Neale & Newman, Parker was with a Joplin law firm for three years. Prior to that, he was with Martin & Associates PC. Parker is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia and the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Technology

Tom Elgin was promoted to accounts manager at Aztec Computer Outfitters. He joined the company in May 2002 as a sales representative, and he has more than 10 years of experience in sales and customer service. In his new position, Elgin directs and motivates the company's outside sales staff.

Tourism

Katy Baker is the new executive director of the Branson Lakes Area Lodging Association. She previously was employed with Mediacom and AT&T Broadband in Springfield for 18 years. She attended both College of the Ozarks and Southwest Missouri State University, majoring in communications and writing.